how are Spirit Airlines Seats

Spirit Airlines Seats

While the BFS is still a pre-reclined option, it will now have an additional inch of recline in its newer version. The seat back and seat cushion cushions are being padded.

A slightly larger mini-drink tray is located on the seat's centre armrest. Access to tray tables can be moved from the centre console towards the outboard armrests. This allows for easy access and does not disturb a seatmate.

Extra in economy class

The HAECO vector Light seat will be slightly modified for economy class passengers. The company will continue to use the curved seatback which allows for more knee room and maintains the 28" pitch which allows for 182 seats. Rittenhouse says the new shape allows for two extra inches of knee space compared to traditional flat-back seats. This skew is why the carrier doesn't support the industry-standard pitch measurement.

The extra inch of width that middle seat passengers have onboard been also retained, as opposed to the aisle or window options. All three seats are now one-half inches wider, which increases cabin space.

The seats retain their original configuration and add padding. The cushioning is most noticeable at the outside edge of your seat and on the melded headrest.

The tray table has been slightly larger with the new seat. The literature pocket has a hook to hang coats and a slot for glasses. The passenger experience is enhanced by the slightly longer armrests.

Spirit chose Tapis synthetic leather as the seat covers and added yellow stitching along the edges to give it some branding flair.

Reduce weight and save fuel

All these changes result in a reduction of 11 ounces per person per seat. This adds up to 120 lbs for the entire aircraft.

Uwe Selzer, HAECO Americas Vice President, highlighted the key weight-saving components of the design.

• Carbon fibre seat back
• Arm rest hinges made of titanium
• Fabric seat pan

While switching to carbon fibre as the seat back is a good start, HAECO continues to optimize for weight reduction. Selzer says, "We used pressure mapping technology, to look for the best form of the backrest, cushion combination, and to provide the structure without compromising comfort." This included putting slots in carbon fibre underneath the seat cushioning.

The carbon fibre seat back retains its rigidity, tensile strength and flexibility. However, it also has a little more flexibility that improves passenger comfort. Carbon fibre structures allow for a slight decrease in foam thickness.

Slaver also noted that Spirit and HAECO had agreed to use a traditional cushion in the backrest rather than switching to a structural cushion. This cushion provides the same shape and rigidity as the seatback. Slaver noted that there is not enough long-term data to determine the reliability and wear of these cushion materials.

Spirit expects to take delivery of more than 30 planes with the new seating on board in 2023, with the balance of the 100 aircraft order to follow. The new seats are only intended for new aircraft deliveries. The carrier will not retrofit the existing planes, at least not for now.

Upgrade to the Big Front Seat with Spirit

Two ways can you upgrade your Big Front Seat Spirit to the Big Front Seat. Either during your booking or after, you can buy a Big Front Seat assignment. Spirit's bidding system can be used to bid for a Big Front Seat. I'll explain this in a later section.

Spirit Airlines, a discount airline, charges a fee for almost everything. This includes seat assignments. During the booking process, you will see a seat map and prices for each empty seat.

After you have selected a seat and paid for it, everything is done. Spirit advertises that a Big Front Seat costs $12-$250. We see an average range of $50 to $150 for a Big Front Seat. Many popular routes charge $100 per flight segment for the Big Front Seat.

Spirit seat assignment fees cannot be refunded. This is a general rule. Before you commit to an upgrade, ensure that you are very likely to travel.

The Free Spirit(r), Travel More World Elite Mastercard (r) does not offer any discounts or benefits for Spirit upgrades. You can still use many credit cards to pay for seat selection fees. Chase Sapphire Reserve, for example, offers a $300 per year travel credit while American Express' Platinum Card(r), offers an airline fee credit. However, you will need to enrol in Spirit before you can make your purchase.

Upgrade to Spirit for the exit row

You have several options to pay for an upgrade of the exit row. Similar to the Big Front Seats, you can pay for an exit row seat at seat selection. Spirit lists the prices for paid seat assignments starting at $1 to $50 (not including the Big Front Seat). You'll typically pay $25-35 to choose an exit row seat.

You can also upgrade to an exit row seat by purchasing one of the Spirit bundles during the booking process. You will generally be offered two bundles in the booking process. The "Just for You" and "Bundle it" bundles offer the option to choose any seat on the plane, except a Big Front Seat.

Bundle pricing can be a good option for those who plan on bringing a bag or carry-on.

Upgrade to a Big Front Seat, or Exit-Row Seat

Up until recently, you had to buy a Spirit Big Front Seat or an exit-row seat. Spirit now offers a bidding system which may make it possible to upgrade your Spirit for a fraction of the price. TPG's Zach Griff bid on a Big Front Seat for 40% less than the price advertised.

After booking your flight, Spirit offers a webpage on which you can bid to upgrade to an exit row or Big Front Seat. Your bid will not be confirmed until 48 hours after departure, although it may take longer.

The terms and conditions for the Spirit bidding system include a clause called "Instant level up." Spirit offers an instant level up option that allows you to buy an upgraded seat right away during the bidding process. Spirit's website states that Instant Level Up is only available for select routes.

Enjoy a complimentary Spirit upgrade to elite status in exit-row seating

You'll get a few perks if you frequent Spirit flights and are an elite Spirit Airlines member. These perks are not equivalent to American or United states, so don't mistake them for a gift certificate for the Big Front Seat. You may be eligible for a free upgrade to an exit row if you have enough Spirit flying.

Two levels of the Free Spirit program are available: Silver and Gold. Free Spirit Silver members can get a free upgrade to an exit row. However, it will take some luck. Free Spirit Silver members have three hours to upgrade if there is an exit-row available. Free Spirit Gold members have an even more valuable benefit: they can choose exit-row seats during bookings.

Bottom line

Spirit offers many options for comfortable seats, but most of them will cost money. The Big Front Seat is your closest to a Spirit upgrade. It's not available for free regardless of whether or not you have the Spirit credit card.

The comfort of an exit row seat on Spirit's long-haul flights can be worth the extra money. Spirit's bidding system to upgrade the exit row or Big Front Seat is intriguing. Perhaps when air travel slows down, travellers will be able to bid on upgrades and save some money on the comfort they desire.